Una Noche
by Kavi Leighanna
Summary: Dopplegangland Prompt Response - Once a year JJ and David are together. This year, things are conspiring against them. Or maybe conspiring to keep them together. JJ/Rossi - Chapter 3 rated M -
1. Chapter 1

**UNA NOCHE**

BONUS PROMPT: Dopplegangland (_Buffy_)

--

David Rossi grinned as he sauntered onto the George Washington campus. It was his yearly trip to the city and this year he found himself looking forward to it more than usual. He lived on the lecture circuit and he was in the DC area for two weeks while he guest lectured, sat on panels and gave talks on behaviourism and profiling. This was his life, and, as a shining and pioneering member of the FBI's Behavioural Analysis Unit, he was the one to talk to.

But that wasn't his excitement for being on the campus today. Not at all. Because every year, when he made his way to the GW area, he knew _she_ would be there. He'd been doing this yearly stint for years, this being his fifth. His first day, his first guest lecture at GW, he'd met Jennifer Jareau. The blond bombshell was a professor at the institution, a professor of mass communication and media. Over the last few years, this had been his favourite stop on the circuit. Because he and Jen had an arrangement, an agreement and an undeniable attraction.

For his time in Washington, she was his. And he was hers, but that was really just details. While he was in the city, they were a couple. She accompanied him for his dinners and he provided bone-melting sex. Then, at the end of his stint, he left, and they both went back to their lives.

He was looking forward to this year.

He glanced over at the dark-haired woman beside him, his assistance and probably the person who knew him best. Emily Prentiss was damned good at her job, and he only took the best. She'd been with him since he'd started a writing and though was a linguist by trade, she'd come from a background of diplomacy that made her perfect for the job. And she didn't take his crap.

She raised an eyebrow. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not running your errand for you, Rossi."

The fact that she knew what errand he needed to do was not surprising. It was what made her so good at what she did. She knew, almost and sometimes before he did, what needed to be done and what he wanted done. "Em…"

"No way, Dave," and the sparkle in her eyes made him grin. "I won't be the one to drop off your little love note."

Emily was the only one who knew about his yearly tryst with Jen. Sometimes she was too smart for her own good. He shot her a playful glare. "Fine. I'll do it myself."

"Damn right you will," she shot back. "I have enough to do to make sure you're happy while you're giving this stupid lecture. Why you need to be so specific about your bottled water is beyond me. Drink out of the tap."

She was teasing. So, instead of giving into her bait and replying, Dave shook his head as they split ways. After all, he had an invitation to drop off.

* * *

_So, much like sienna, I really shouldn't be posting anything new, but this kind of bit me in the bum and literally would not let go. The next chapter should probably be up tomorrow, but only if you guys want it. _

_So let me know!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Jennifer Jareau shivered as she glanced at her calendar. He was here. She knew he was here. She'd checked, not that he would know. Or anyone else. It wasn't her fault she was looking forward to these two weeks. She was in dire need of an earth-shattering climax and if there was one thing she knew for sure, it was that _he_ would be more than willing to provide one for her.

Or a whole lot more than one, but really, she was in the office. She couldn't think about sex while trying to mark papers for a class.

David Rossi. FBI Agent extraordinaire. He breezed into town every year for two weeks to guest lecture, then breezed right out again. In and out of her life just that quickly too. They'd met by fluke. She'd been racing out of her office, papers in hand, trying to make it to her car before her ticket expired, and he'd just been leaving his lecture, having been held back by too many questions and some overly adoring fans. She'd literally run right into him, sent all of her own papers flying. Jen had groaned, said a few things her mother would probably slap her for, then dropped to her hands and knees to collect her things.

Much to her surprise, he'd dropped right beside her. He'd asked if she was in a hurry as he helped her pick up her things and she'd explained her entire predicament in one breath and managed to detail her no-good-horrible-terrible-very-bad day to him in the next. Then, she'd blushed bright red, embarrassed. He had just smiled at her, a smile that had started her heart beating double time, before telling her that she needed a time out.

And taken her to dinner.

She'd been charmed, just like, she was sure, he'd planned. So when he'd offered to make her forget her own name, she'd been too far under his spell to refuse. And she'd never regretted it either.

A knock sounded on her door and she called out 'enter'. Penelope Garcia waltzed in, Jen's best friend, an envelope in her hand. "I got this from Amy."

Amy was the secretary that manned the faculty office. Why Penelope, a computer science and programming professor, had wandered over to grab it, was beyond her. Well, at least until she caught sight of the envelope. An envelope she recognized. She accepted it, trying with everything in her to tamp down the heat she knew was flaring up her neck and cheeks. She opened it delicately, withdrawing the simple but elegant card.

_Dinner tonight. Wear something sexy._

_- David_

She couldn't stop the shiver, a shiver Penelope latched onto immediately. "It's that time of year again, isn't it?" she asked gleefully. "He's here."

Jen calmly slid the card back into the envelope. "I have a dinner date."

"Oh thank god! You need some good loving, sweetcheeks."

Jen tried not to roll her eyes. Her last boyfriend, while extremely sweet, was a little lacking in the bedroom, and while he'd had many-a-satisfied night, Jen hadn't always been so lucky. She rested a hand discretely against her stomach, trying to quell the butterflies that were fluttering around. She was nervous and excited at the same time.

She couldn't wait.

* * *

_Okay, here's 2! I'm working on 3 and simultaenously a paper and a take home I get soon, so I make no guarantees of it being up as fast as this one._

_Please review so I know you're enjoying this?_


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER RATED M FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY!**

_Chapter 3_

Dave knew his note hadn't said anything about when or where to meet him, but he trusted that Jen would know. They had a routine that they never changed. He picked her favourite restaurant in DC and treated her to dinner. And then she treated him to her. He knew the minute she stepped into the restaurant and while part of him was disturbed that he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up when she entered the restaurant, his heart almost literally stopped as he caught sight of her.

She was beyond sexy. She was elegance and sophistication in human form, wearing the staple little black dress Dave knew all women owned. Her hair was up in a French twist, black pumps adorning her feet, making her legs look so much longer. All he wanted to do was take her, watch her fall apart at his hands. His smile was warm as he stood, holding out his hands and trying to ignore the heat that threaded through him as she slid her small, warm, delicate hands into his.

He couldn't stop himself from leaning forward and kissing her thoroughly. Gah, he'd actually missed her.

"Mmm…" Jen was grinning when he pulled away. "Now that's a hello."

"Hello," he replied with a wide grin, holding out her chair for her. She slid into it, and he found himself unable to resist running his hands over the soft skin of her shoulders. It was such an elegant neck and he knew it was one of her erogenous zones…. With a deep breath he tamped down the want rising in him. It wasn't like he could ravish her on the floor of the restaurant, anyway.

She smiled at him, spreading her napkin over her lap. "How was your class?"

It was always her first question. He'd discovered that she had almost a fascination with the job he'd once done and she was smart enough to ask him questions that actually made him think. He always enjoyed talking to her, and though they'd never talked about personal things, he was always looking for new perspectives. Dave had discovered Jen was very good at finding new perspectives.

Conversation flowed easily between them as they traded new research ideas with new findings and theories. Dave found himself getting lost in the blue of her eyes, in the sparkle of her earrings, in Jennifer Jareau. He knew his eyes held the heat he felt, even if it was banked and, he looked up at her over the chocolate cake they shared for dessert.

"Come back to the hotel with me."

- - -

Jen smiled warmly, her body heating at the offer. As if she was going to say no. She'd been looking forward to this for _months_. "Sure."

She tried not to chuckle as he stood as soon as she acquiesced, holding out his hand for her. She accepted, shivering at the feeling of his rough hand in hers. Her mind immediately went to the feeling of those rough hands on her body and felt her stomach tighten in anticipation.

"Did you drive?"

She couldn't help but shiver at the deep tone in his voice and she found herself looking down at their entwined hands as he tugged her out to the front of the restaurant. He helped her with her coat and slid his on, then took her hand again. His hand stroked her arm as they sat side-by-side in the cab. As per usual, they pulled up to a familiar hotel. He got out, racing around to open her door.

His gentlemanliness was nothing new to Jen. If there was one thing she'd known and figured out over her years of this arrangement, it was that David Rossi knew how to charm and he knew how to take care of a lady. Half of the thrill she got from being with him was how well he treated her. For two weeks a year she was the only thing that mattered and she loved it.

He held the door for her as they entered the hotel, his hand falling to rest on her lower back. The anticipation alone was arousing and she wanted, more than anything, to get him out of his clothes and in her. Somehow, though, she managed to keep her cool, slipping into the elevator as the doors slid open. He followed her, pressing the button for his floor, then stepped right in front of her, crowding her back against the elevator wall.

"I've been waiting all year for this," he growled, his hands framing her hips.

She let her head fall back as his hands ran up her waist to brush gently and teasingly against the sides of her breasts then back down again. Jen hummed her approval, flushing at the idea that he'd been thinking about her since they parted ways.

He brushed the back of his fingers over her cheek. There was an emotion in his eyes she wasn't sure he realized was there. It made her swallow thickly and she was thankful for the reprieve of now having to get from the elevator to his room.

Dave slipped the key car into the lock and spun her inside. The door slammed closed, but Jen didn't really hear it. She was too busy drowning in the smell, taste and feel of David Rossi.

She's forgotten how well the man could kiss as she opened her mouth for his questing tongue. She felt her knees buckle. His arms wrapped tighter around her, pressing her fully against him. His heat soaked through the material of her coat and dress and she found herself whimpering as he pulled away.

"Patience," he soothed as he undid her coat and dropped it to the floor. "You know I'll make it worth it."

Oh, did she ever. She was by no means usually a passive participant in their trysts, but the first time she always allowed him control. She had yet to be disappointed, and yet to walk away unsatisfied. She stumbled out of her heels as he guided her backwards, aware that while she knew he was very attracted to the idea of her in heels, he liked it better when she was shorter. There was a protective and possessive instinct in him, one that made him feel more masculine when she seemed smaller. As it was, she was only slightly smaller in her heels, but without her shoes she was the perfect height to tuck her head under his chin.

His hands came up to her hair, running his fingers over the twist. His eyes were molten as they locked with her baby blues. "Let it down, Jen."

She stepped away from him, her hands reaching for her hair as he shed his jacket, shoes and socks. A few deft flicks and her straight blond hair tumbled down her back and around her shoulders. Then he was in front of her again, his strong hands tunneling into the silken strands. Jen, impatient, managed to get her hands between them, making surprisingly quick work of his dress shirt. Her hand splayed over his chest and they both groaned.

"Jen…"

"If you tell me to be patient, you're not getting laid tonight," she growled. "I'll slow down when you're naked."

Dave crushed her too him. His kiss was hard, rough and passionate and he wasted no time in undoing her dress and pushing it off her shoulders. She dropped her arms to allow the fabric to slither down her body. He stepped back, his hands on the warm skin of her sides and back.

Jen found herself blushing. The forest green lace and silk had been a purchase she'd been saving for just this moment, just this man. She refused to think of what that meant, instead focusing on the choked sound he made as he took her in. She offered a shy smile. "You like?"

His fingers traced the edge of the bra, teasing the flesh beneath. His face was serious. "You're always gorgeous, Jen."

She had to kiss him or drown in emotions she wasn't allowed to feel. She brushed his shirt from his shoulders and made quick work of his belt. He tumbled her back to the bed, kicking off his pants. Not that Jen actually noticed. On the contrary, she was too focused on his fingers brushing and teasing the wet length of her underwear to really care.

- - -

Dave grinned widely. This was the way he needed her. Flushed, eyes bright with lust and arousal. His fingers pressed and retreated between her legs, sometimes straying back to tease the delicate skin of her thighs. His mouth teased her neck, her collarbone, her chest while her hands brushed through his hair, across his shoulders, anywhere she could reach.

Good Lord he'd missed this.

She mewled in her throat as his hands left her underwear and crept up her body. He grinned, a wide dirty grin of a man aware he had a beautiful woman in his bed and he was about to make her fall apart. Her bra was gone with an expert flick of his wrist as his hands went back to her scorching and drenched underwear.

Her hips rocked off the bed with a choked cry as he licked a nipple and slid under the edge of her underwear to touch her skin. He grinned up at her, allowing his beard to tickle the sensitive skin of her breasts as her back arched. He moaned in pleasure as his tongue scraped over her nipple before he trailed down her front, pushing himself up with one arm the same time he plunged two fingers into her depths. His fingers slid in a lot quicker and smoother than he'd anticipated and he compensated by immediately rubbing against her front wall.

She fell apart.

He was surprised and awed at how fast he'd made her climax, so he held his fingers still as he focused on kissing her. Slowly, her breath came back, her chest slowing slightly. So he slowly started moving his fingers again, shifting his angle and pressure depending on her reaction. If she whimpered, he knew she was still too sensitive, too uncomfortable, too raw. Eventually, she was arching and moaning again, her hands moving all over his shoulders and back, into his hair as he kissed down her front. He knew she was aware of what was coming by the way her hands fell away, gripping the hotel blanket beneath her.

He grinned. "Jen. Look at me."

She raised her head.

He licks her, a long slow path from where his fingers are still buried to the nub that makes her jolt in pleasure. Her eyelids fall and he chuckled, a low dark sound. "I'm going to make you forget your own name tonight, Cara Mia," he said, his voice a rumble against the skin of her thighs. "I'm going to make you wish you didn't have to get up in the morning."

Her head fell back against the pillows with a loud groan and he pressed his mouth to her. Her taste flooded his mouth as he worked her up that mountain and through her climax not once, but twice more. She could barely catch her breath as he crawled back up her body again, pulling her on top of him and stroking her back. He wasn't sure how long they settled like that, how long it took Jen to catch her breath, but eventually she shifted on top of him, settling a bit further down, rubbing against his still hard length.

"Mmm… don't hold back my favourite part," she murmured, shifting her hips so he could feel her wetness against him.

He made quick work of grabbing and donning a condom before she straddled his hips, guiding him into her and settling her hips against his. He groaned outright as she sighed, rocking her hips before lifting her hips and settling back on him again. His hands went to her hips, helping guide her up and down his length, heated eyes watching her movements with an attention and concentration he was sure was unrivaled.

"No."

His eyes were drawn to her face as she stopped moving.

"You're not playing this game, Dave," she said, her voice heated and holding promise. "You're going to come with me this time, do you hear me?"

"In which case," he replied, flipping them over, bringing her legs around his hips. "We're going to do this my way."

Jen's head pushed into the pillows as he shifted, ensuring his pelvic bone hit her with every one of his forceful thrusts. This time, when she cried out her release, he followed her, collapsing on top of her. She held him to her, wrapping her arms tightly around him. His head rested on her shoulder while they caught their breath then he rolled them over, arranging her to his whim.

"I guess I'm staying then," Jen said, relaxing completely.

He snorted. "Of course you're staying. Good night, Cara."

* * *

_So, I went from about 650 words in the last 2 chapters to over 2200 for this one. Huh._

_And thanks to the few of you that reviewed. You guys make my life._


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

Dave knew the second his eyes opened that something was different. He took a moment to think about it, to try and figure it out as he rolled over to the alarm clock. Ten thirty. He had nowhere to be until two. But something was still off. Then, he realized the shower was running.

Jen was still in his hotel room.

Well, that was a first. She was usually long dressed and gone by the time he dragged himself out of bed after their nights together. But, since she was here, he was more than willing to take advantage of the fact. So, he got up, slipped into the bathroom and called out her name. He knew better than to just scare her by slipping into the shower with her. But once she'd been alerted to his presence, he did just that.

"You're here late," he said, kissing her because he couldn't resist.

She hummed into his mouth before pulling back, scrubbing the washcloth in her hand over his chest. "I don't teach today so I didn't have to get up."

His hand stroked her cheek. "It was a nice surprise to find you still here."

"Ha!" she replied. "But now I have to do the walk of shame in daylight."

Only the amusement in her eyes clued him in to her teasing. He growled, palming her ass and pulling her to him. "It's too early to tease, Jen."

"Wear you out, did I?" she asked, her voice a purr.

"You know," he said conversationally, ignoring her question. "I thought showers together were supposed to conserve water."

She raised an eyebrow. Dave knew Jen wasn't naïve enough to think that she was the only woman in his life. The fact that there had been no one since this trip had been booked seven months ago notwithstanding. And quite frankly, he didn't want to think about that part. In fact, he was studiously avoiding it. So instead, he focused on kissing her, on distracting her from everything but him. And distracting himself in the process.

* * *

Almost an hour later, much to both of their surprise, they were finally out of the shower and dressed. Jen was in the bathroom, trying to do something with her hair and being very much unsuccessful. She was really going to have to go home now. Though, granted, she had no reason to go into her office today, so she _could_ hide out…

Meanwhile, David had been checking his messages. He grinned when he heard Emily's clipped voice explaining to him that he had duties. Of course he had duties, it just so happened that while he was here, most of them went by the wayside, thanks to Jen. This one, however, wasn't much skin off of his back. It was the annual FBI gala, it wasn't like he didn't know it was coming. Though, it did remind him…

"Jen?"

"Mmhmm?" came her mumbled reply from the open door of the bathroom.

He slammed down the feelings of normalcy and domesticity. After his last wife, he'd come to the conclusion that he wasn't meant to love. Not after the first time. So he led the life of a lothario, every city, a new girl, every conference a new woman to satisfy his needs. And it wasn't like he had to really work at it to begin with. But Jen… even he'd recognized over the past year that Jen was different. He'd been so busy looking forward to his jaunt to Washington that months had gone by without him taking a woman home with him.

"The FBI gala dinner is tonight," he said, deleting Emily's message. He made a mental note to call her. She probably assumed that since he had a date, she wasn't needed. She may not be needed, but he knew of a couple of agents that would probably benefit from her presence.

Jen poked her head out of the bathroom. "When are you picking me up?"

He adored that she just assumed that he was telling her because he wanted her to come with him. "Seven," he replied. "That will make us fashionably late."

Jen rolled her eyes as she pulled her head back into the bathroom. Finally she sighed. Nothing good was going to come of her hair, of that much she was now certain. Dave was still checking his messages, so she went for her purse, rooted through it until she found the hair elastic she always kept there. If her hair wasn't going to behave, she was going to _make_ it behave.

When she turned back, David was watching her. She shook her head. How the man managed to make her feel wanted and gorgeous all the time made no sense to her. She'd always thought of herself as that small town girl from Virginia with big dreams, plain. She relied heavily on her intellect to get her where she wanted to go and while she recognized that there was absolutely nothing wrong with such a thing, David had never made her feel like she had to be anything but herself. And, more importantly, that 'herself' was beautiful

Her last boyfriend hadn't been that nice. He was a cop from New Orleans. She'd met him by accident, running into him in her favourite coffee shop three days in a row before he talked to her. Their relationship had been long distance and he had rarely seemed happy when she talked about her work. Once, she'd asked him about it. His response had talked about how she was his 'little lady' and Jen had immediately bristled.

David wasn't like that. David treated her like someone who had worked hard to get where she was, someone who _liked_ her job and was damned good at it. More than once, Emily had asked if she'd like to take over the position of Dave's publicist simply because she knew best how to handle him and she knew the ways of the media elites. But Jen really did love her job, really did love teaching even if some of her students made her want to bash her head into the wall. David seemed to really understand that part of her, even if it was the only part of her he really knew.

He stepped up behind her as she finished securing her hair in a neat ponytail. "Do you have something to wear?" he asked, sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her against him.

She rested her hands over his, rocking them slightly. "I'm sure I can pull something you haven't seen out of my closet," she replied, her own voice low.

David turned his head, resting his forehead against her cheek. "Low cut… form fitting…"

Her chuckle was low, sexy. "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

**_I finally got around to finishing it! I've been working on this for probably the last month or so, here and there, and I finally finished it! It makes me so many forms of happy, no word of a lie. I'm hoping the next chapter will be up by Christmas. _**

**_Please review and let me know you're still with me?_**


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

"Jen!"

Jen grinned widely, hugging the brunette. "Emily. How are you?"

Both women had met during one of these dinners and hit it off beautifully. Neither of them kept in touch as much as they would like, but they managed.

"Trying to deal with this insufferable ass," Emily replied with a jovial smile.

"He's being stubborn again?" the blond inquired, even as her arm automatically wound through Dave's.

"Not quite. He was rather insistent he pick my date tonight. As if I need one with him wandering around."

Jen shook her head in affection. She was well aware that Emily loved Dave like a brother. A really annoying older brother but still. Then she tipped her head to the side. "Wait, you let him pick your date?"

"I need my space," Dave protested. "Cara mia, I can't have her hovering." Most definitely not with Jen in the sinful dress she'd answered her apartment door in. It was a one shoulder silk number, floor-length, one silk strap crossing across her back. He hadn't been able to keep his hands off of it's smooth texture, nor his eyes off of the way her curves were both hidden and emphasized by the purple confection.

"But you don't mind me watching your every move."

Dave's eyes heated just for her as he looked down at her. "On the contrary, I relish the experience."

Emily's low whistle made Jen blush. "You know, no matter how many times I experience this play-by-play in person, it never ceases to amaze me that you see each other once a year and there's enough heat to generate a small castle."

Dave rolled his eyes as Jen spluttered. Emily just laughed. Then Dave waved over Emily's head and Jen craned her neck around Emily to see who he was waving at. It was a dark-haired man, dressed in a crisply pressed suit. Objectively speaking, Jen couldn't say the man wasn't handsome. There was no doubt that she considered Dave the more attractive of the two, but he had classic features, and a strong jawline.

"Aaron, glad you could make it."

This 'Aaron' looked a little worse for wear, but he shook Dave's hand. "Of course."

Then Dave turned gleaming eyes to his assistant. "Emily Prentiss, meet Aaron Hotchner."

"Pleasure," Emily said, holding out her hand.

Jen, a veteran when it came to reading communicative behavior, almost jolted as she noticed the immediate flare in Aaron's dark eyes.

"All mine," the other man replied, grasping her hand.

_And she says Dave and I generate heat_, Jen thought to herself. She looked up at her own date, at the smug smile on his face. Ah, so this was Emily's intended date for the evening.

"David, there you are! And Jennifer! I wondered if we were going to see you here, dear."

It was these instances where Jen envied Emily. The other woman didn't have to deal with Dave's fans or admirers, didn't have to deal with the constant praise shattered on David Rossi, author extraordinaire. The elderly couple was one she'd met at her first gala like this. It seemed like they followed Dave around.

"Ethel, how are you?" she greeted politely, submitting to the double-cheek kiss.

"Excellent and might I say you look positively breathtaking this evening, doesn't she David?"

"She always looks breathtaking, Ethel," Dave replied, picking up her hand and pressing a cheek to the back of it.

Jen shivered.

"It's so nice to see him with such a sweet girl," Ethel continued. "It's been a while since we've seen him bring a date to one of these things."

Jen tried not to jolt at the news. She'd long ago assumed and come to terms with the fact that she and Dave were only a couple for a few weeks a year and that it was likely he had other women like her in other cities. She'd made her peace long ago. But this, the idea that maybe he didn't have women like her at every turn, made her stomach jolt. As such, she decided against answering, allowing Dave to do with it what he wanted.

Though she knew which way she would prefer him to answer.

---

_Shit_.

Dave wasn't used to this. He'd kept his life outside of his two weeks in DC and his books away from Jen and though he'd already admitted to himself that he'd missed her, that he'd been looking forward to her all year, it was a little close to home for someone to point out that for the last few months, as he realized this DC trip was growing closer and closer, his female companions had been fewer and fewer between. It was why Emily had put up such a protest when he'd told her he'd found her a date. She didn't usually attend his galas except as a stand-in date, and she'd been playing that part more and more often in the past few months.

He filed that away for things to consider later, along with missing her, wanting her desperately at every moment of every day, and actually getting to know the inner workings of a mind he knew was whip smart.

"Jen," Emily's voice floated through his mind, "Can I _borrow_ you for a minute?"

Jen moved away from him immediately and he found himself missing her warmth almost as quickly. Ethel wrapped her arm around his free one. "Where did you find that one, David? And why doesn't she come around more often?"

Dave tried his best to smile, but his head was a crazy whirl. This one, this time, was so much different than any of his other trips to the DC-area and he couldn't seem to wrap his fingers around why.

"Do tell, David," Ethel cajoled. "Where is she from?"

"Washington," Dave answered smoothly. For all he knew, that much was true.

"She was not born here," Ethel replied with a slight laugh. "She is much too sweet to have been born in Washington. How about school then?"

"She went to college," Dave said smoothly.

"Well, she must have, David, but _where_."

He had no idea. He and Jen didn't talk about those things, didn't talk about their lives, personal things. It was just better and easier that way. This way, they didn't have anything in common and when he left after everything, it didn't matter. "I don't know."

"David Rossi! That Jennifer is too good for your little arrangements," the elderly woman scolded. "She is not just another warm body or another one of your women! I thought you'd finally grown out of that phase this year when you stopped bringing your hussies to these galas, only to find out that you're treating Jennifer the same way!"

Ethel's defence of Jen floored him. Ethel was a sweet woman, and he'd actually always liked her. They'd met at this FBI gala years ago. She'd worked for years as the front desk receptionist and had jumped at the chance to meet The Great David Rossi. He let her rant and rave and he enjoyed how passionate she got about his work, but giving him advice on Jen?

"She is a good woman, David. You'd be an idiot and a fool to treat her like anything less than a queen."

Dave immediately got defensive, and rightfully so. Even if his relationship with Jen was a yearly tryst, he treated the blond with the utmost sincerity and courtesy. She was a beautiful, intelligent woman, a _professor_, for goodness sakes! Most of his women were well-bred and intelligent, yes, but he knew Jen could run circles around them. She's been different from day one, adorable and endearing instead of necessarily drop-dead sexy. She made understated beautiful. Just because he didn't know much about her personal life or her childhood didn't mean he didn't respect her.

And he was incredibly thankful the minute her scent wafted into his nose. "Everything okay?" he asked her, holding out a hand she took willingly.

"Mmhmm," she replied, following the push of his other hand under her chin. She smiled into their kiss. "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but Emily is rather happy with your choice of her date tonight."

Dave chuckled, pushing his conversation with Ethel to the back of his mind. He wanted to enjoy the hear and now, just like he and Jen had been doing for years. "Of course she is."

"And now I see why no one was supposed to say anything," Jen said, lips pursed. "Wipe that smirk off your face, David Rossi."

"Jennifer," Ethel spoke up, "Come get a drink with me. I want to talk to you about where you grew up."

Jen arched an eyebrow his way and he could only squeeze her hand. He could tell by the shift in her eyes that she knew there was something bothering him, but she didn't ask.

"David will be fine by himself," Ethel encouraged, wrapping her arm through Jen's.

This time, her look was one filled with incredulity.

"Cara, I'm hurt," he said.

She leaned up to his ear, ignoring the shiver at his use of the endearment. "Behave yourself and I'll make it worth your while tonight."

Dave couldn't stop the dirty grin that spread over his face. For all of her projected innocence and demure sweetness, he knew she'd come through on that promise and then some. He watched Jen walk away with an alluring swing in her step.

* * *

**_So, for those of you who don't follow the rest of my stories, this is the next one on my To-Finish List. There's only a couple more chapters to go (it was never meant to be long) so there we go! Could be fun! Will be fun. _**

**_Review!_**


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

Dave's hand stroked up and down Jen's back, his fingertips making her shiver. Well, it was either that or the fine sheen of sweat that still shimmered on her skin. She was dozing somewhere in the foggy place between sleep and wakefulness.

"Jen?" his voice was soft, probably just in case she had actually drifted off.

She stretched against him luxuriously. "Hm?" Her hand slid over his stomach.

"Where did you grow up?"

The question took her completely by surprise and she looked up into his dark eyes. Their trysts weren't permanent. Going down this road was personal and one too many steps towards permanence. His eyes were serious, so serious that she found herself almost compelled to answer.

"Virginia," she whispered.

"That's a whole state, Cara."

"You won't know the place," she warned. It was her last warning. If they went down that road there was no going back. It was going to change irrevocably. He didn't say anything so she took a deep breath.

"East Allegheny," she finally answered.

"You're right," he said, his voice war,. "I have no idea where that is."

"It's a small town," she replied, looking away facing a chuckle.

"You were a farm girl."

His voice sounded completely shocked. So shocked she found insecurity creeping in, clenching her heart.

"I always pictured you an uptown girl. Sophisticated classy professor," he admitted quietly.

"Nope I mucked out stalls, rode horses... The whole thing," she said, removing her hand from his stomach and wrapping it around her own. She left her head resting on his chest, unable to move it without letting him into her mind, allowing him to see something had made her uncomfortable.

"What else don't I know about you?"

Jen closed her eyes, debating for a moment. If she'd already started, she figured she might as well die in head first. "I played soccer," she admitted. "It was what got me through college."

"A beauty like you?" He caught her hand as she went to hit him with it. He wrapped it back around his body, resting her palm over his heart. "You must have loved the sport."

"I coach little girls soccer in the summer."

---

That didn't surprise him. The one thing he knew above all else was that his Jen was good. She was charitable, philanthropic, angelic for all intents and purposes, almost saintly. Coaching little rugrats was exactly up her alley.

"What don't I know about you?"

_Everything_, he almost told her. Instead, his hands slid through the blond silk of her hair. _Quid pro quo, Rossi_, he thought to himself. "I was married. Three times."

"I'm sorry?" Jen asked. "Married?"

"Three times," he repeated. He felt her swallow thickly.

"What happened?"

He wasn't surprised she asked the question and he took a deep breath.

"Ella and Jackie... wives two and three, didn't like the travelling for my books or my work. They accused me of having affairs... it was less stressful." His eyes were closed. He couldn't look at her. He didn't realize how difficult it was to share personal things.

Jen's body shifted against his and he was pretty sure he knew what was coming next. What actually came out of her mouth was something different. "I was engaged once. Never quite made it down the aisle."

Dave's eyebrow went up. "A woman like you? Who would let you go?"

She chewed her lip. "It was a difference of opinion." Then she took a deep breath. "I... I always knew I wanted out of the small town. I never liked the whole idea of barefoot and pregnant. I didn't want to end up bitter like my mother because I gave up my dreams for marriage and kids."

The bitterness wasn't lost on him.

"Adam... That was all Adam wanted. He wanted a little lady, someone to stay at home, have dinner on the table when he got home... It wasn't about me it was about the perfect picture and I couldn't be the perfect little picture anymore."

"You're way too smart for that," he said, almost indignantly.

She flashed him a brief but tense grin. "So the engagement fell apart. Adam didn't want me to go to college, I didn't need permission."

The rest of the story was, quite obviously, history. The fact she was here, the fact that she was a professor, told him everything about her. His history in profiling laid her entire life out in front of him from there. Successful, ambitious... Charm, beauty, the whole package. That was Jen, through and through. She was a woman who could have done anything she wanted, and she'd chosen teaching.

"I loved him," she whispered. "I thought he wanted my dreams. I thought he wanted me to achieve everything I wanted. Then, he turned on me and the whole engagement... my whole world fell apart."

He pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her head, his heart speeding up. He wanted to tell her everything. He felt and heard her inhale, and knew that though she wanted to ask about his first wife, she didn't want to push or pry. He appreciated the out Jen was giving him, but he was only hurting himself. She exposed herself, made her emotionally vulnerable.

"Emma... Emma was my everything," he said softly. "She was the love of my life. Then... I lost her."

Jen had stopped moving. He wasn't even sure she was breathing.

"We'd run out of milk," he said softly, "and I was supposed to pick it up on my way home from the Bureau, but we got called away on a case. She went herself." He sucked in a deep breath. "It was a convenience store robbery and she got caught in the crossfire. I was in San Diego on a sexual sadist."

---

Jen had no idea what to say. Her story seemed to pale in comparison to what he'd just told her. She licked her lips. "Did they ever catch the guy?" her voice was barely above a whisper.

"An addict," he replied. "He was looking for money, wanted a fix. She was in the crossfire."

She chewed her lip, then rolled on top of him, her fingers reaching up to his face. His cheeks were sticky and the blond realized that it was from tears. She leaned up and kissed him, slow, sweet, conveying an emotion she both refused to and didn't want to identify. Her thumbs stroked at his cheeks, brushing the tears away as they kissed.

Dave's hand spanned the warm skin of her back. Her knees settled on either side of his hips, pressing her against him, but she ignored the heat that naturally sparked within her. This wasn't about seducing him, about sex. She wanted to show him comfort, show him that she appreciated what he'd just told her, appreciated that it took a lot out of him to say the words. She wanted to stop him when his hands started roaming her with a purpose, but he caught hers first, placing them on the pillow by his head. His kissed deepened, his body moving against hers in a way she recognized acutely.

"Dave," she murmured against his mouth. Dave kept moving against her, and she was torn. It was a bad idea, but she couldn't make him stop.

"Jen," he whispered, his hands hot on her sides. "I need this. I need you."

She surrendered.

* * *

_**And... another one down.**_

_**Much to my surprise I'm too tired to give you guys much more than that. Hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner, but it fully depends on my workload with school. **_

_**Review!**_


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

When David woke the next morning, everything was different and he knew it Things had been different since he'd arrived in DC this year, but never had he felt such a sense of dreaded finality. For one thing, the side of the bed that had been Jen's for the last few days was cold, as if she'd been gone a very long time. He sighed, turning on his back and looking up at the ceiling He'd bet there was absolutely no trace of her left in the room, not even a damned hair elastic he'd noticed on the counter in the bathroom.

He had no idea how he felt about it.

Jen... He'd always known this thing between them would have to end sometime. She was a marriage with kids girl and he'd been married too many times to have faith in the institution anymore. Yet, he was also aware that his life without her was going to be a little bit darker.

Because Ethel had been right. Jen was the one woman he was involved with that challenged him. He was smart, beautiful and, as he'd discovered the previous night, nothing like he'd expected. Fundamentally, that was why he kept coming back for more. He never knew enough about her, even as the girls in his other cities changed from year to year, Jen was a constant. And this year, he'd actually gone months without sex because he couldn't stop thinking about _her_.

He rolled over to his shrilly ringing phone. "Good morning, Emily."

"Don't you sound chipper this morning. Didn't get laid last night?"

"Because you did?" he snapped.

"Whoa, okay. Want to tell me what happened?"

"Did you call for any good reasons?"

"You have a lecture in an hour," Emily replied shortly, her voice cold.

Dave sighed. It wasn't fair to Emily to take his frustration out on her, even if he was frustrated at being frustrated to begin with. "Yeah. I'm getting up."

"And Dave? You damned well better be in a better mood when you get here. Whatever you fought with Jen about, fix it, because you're being an ass."

Dave dropped back into the pillows as the dial tone sounded in his ear.

* * *

Penelope Garcia was an incredibly perceptive individual. More than that, Jennifer Jareau was her best friend. There was something off with the blond bombshell. For one thing, the blond looked exhausted and it certainly wasn't the exhausted happiness Penelope was used to during this time of year. There was a dreary cloud hanging over Jen's head, one Penelope certainly did not like.

"Hey there, sweetcheeks," she greeted, finally making her appearance known from Jen's doorway. "You're in super early this morning."

Jen looked up with a tired smile. "There's a few things that I've been putting off that needed to be done."

It was a flimsy excuse and Penelope knew it. And she wasn't in the mood to beat around the bush. "Does that mean no hot shower sex this morning?"

When the woman in front of her winced, Penelope knew she had found the reason Jen wasn't in the happiest of moods.

"Um, no," the mass communication professor answered. She offered a tight smile. "I don't think there's going to be all that much hot shower sex in my future."

"Oh, honey," Penelope said, shoulders drooping in sympathy. "What happened?"

Jen set her pen down, giving up the pretence of working. "We destroyed the illusion," she replied quietly.

"You guys actually talked about yourselves?" Penelope gasped in surprise. She was well aware that Jen and her suave writer never talked deeply about themselves. They talked about their work, his and hers, and about the frustration that went along with it, but from the way Jen had worded it, today's frustration went beyond simply sharing work adventures.

"Yeah," Jen answered on a sigh. A soft smile blossomed over her face. "He thought I was some socialite that had never worked a day in my life."

Penelope snorted in amusement. "You? Does he know nothing about you?"

Jen's face fell and Penelope just managed to hide a sigh.

"No," Jen said. "He really didn't know anything about me."

Penelope cocked her head. She'd caught Jen's use of the past tense. "So it's really over?"

"It has to be," Jen replied quietly. "I don't think either of us is really ready for something real."

"Oh contraire, my vision," Penelope argued, settling herself in one of the chairs in front of her friend's desk. "I can't speak for him, but if David Rossi offered you the world tomorrow, you would take it in a heart beat."

"I have no use for the world," Jen answered petulantly.

"You know I don't mean literally," Penelope retorted with a roll of her eyes. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you're not in love with him."

Jen's eyes flashed in determination as she leaned forward, holding Penelope's gaze. "I'm not in love with David Rossi."

Penelope mirrored the other blonde's movement, leaning forward, locking her eyes on Jen's.

"Liar."

* * *

**_I know this is super short, especially since I haven't updated for a while, but the last little bit was way too good of an ending to pass up. _**

**_Um... so for those of you who don't know, I've started writing for Castle, and the reason I bring that up, is because writing Rossi and JJ in this story is a lot like writing Castle and Beckett at least in most personality styles. I just realized that as I was typing up this chapter. _**

**_Hopefully the next one will be up soon, but I make no promises. Castle kind of swept me up off my feet..._**


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8_

PROMPT: Someone's Cranky (Everybody Loves Raymond)

_--  
_

"Did you really have to bite that kid's head off?"

Dave looked over at Emily's raised eyebrow, her ever-present Blackberry in her hand. Dave was packing up his latest presentation in Charlotte, North Carolina, their third stop in three days after Washington. He sighed. "Probably not."

Emily watched him for a moment. They were close, like siblings that enjoyed pulling each other's hair, and Emily had always been able to tell when there was something wrong. "It's a Jen thing, isn't it?"

"Why is that your first assumption? I've never needed a woman to make me happy," he replied snappishly.

"Your grumpy response tells me that it was her, for one thing," Emily replied, one eyebrow cocked upwards. "We left DC three days ago and you've been a right grouch. Ergo, since you and Jen broke up three days ago – and I mean broke up, you can't deny that – and you've been cranky for three days... there's a connection Dave."

Dave huffed out a breath. "Okay, Jen and I broke up," he said, rolling his eyes as he used her terminology. "It's not the first time a relationship in my life came to an end."

"But did it end for the right reasons?" Emily shot back an eyebrow arching up in the air.

"What do the reasons have to do with anything?" he snapped.

"Enough with the grouchy," Emily shot back, taking a moment while her thumbs flew across the keys of her Blackberry. "I'm just calling you on your idiocy."

"Idiocy?" Dave sputtered.

Emily hummed her agreement, unfazed by his indignant voice. "That is what I said."

"I'm your boss you know," he grumbled.

Emily snorted inelegantly. "What are you going to do, fire me? Then who would do your press work, schedule your appearances, and who, may I ask, is going to step in for you when your editor or your publisher gets on you about late submissions?"

"Look, whatever my relationship is or was is none of your business." He snapped his bag closed thankful for technological advances so he carried a USB key and his laptop instead of boxes of handouts and overheads. He pushed by Emily and headed out of the room. The sound of Emily's heels on the floors of the university.

Okay, so he was short, snippy, cranky, but everyone had their down days. It was just a coincidence that it happened after he and Jen had shattered everything between them. It wasn't the first time a relationship had ended. Though, admittedly, it was the first time that a woman had haunted him for so very long. He'd anticipated his time in DC for _months_, looked forward to it, actually avoided his usual string of flings leading up to his DC presentations.

Neither of them said anything until they were in the car on their way back to the hotel.

"Dave," Emily began. "What happened?"

The writer shrugged. "We talked."

"How much did you talk?"

He sighed. "A lot."

"You told her about Emma."

Dave looked out the window, aware he really didn't have to answer.

"So what?"

That made Dave look at her.

Emily sighed and rolled her eyes. "Look, you know I'm not one for clichés, but maybe this is an actual chance for a happily ever after. And don't tell me your marriages convinced you 'happily ever after' doesn't exist. Ella and Jackie... didn't want you, Dave and we both know it. Jen's never been like that. You like her. A lot. You always have... She's not like Ella or Jackie. She's like Emma."

"Emily," Dave growled. "Drop it."

She rolled her eyes and shut her mouth. She wasn't dumb. She knew when Dave was closing down and well aware that talking to him then was useless. But as they pulled into the hotel, Emily reached over and put her hand on Dave's arm.

"This is the last thing I'm going to say on the matter, I promise," she said. "We're both getting tired of the constant travel, Dave. We're both tired of constantly moving around, of a new hotel every couple of days or weeks or whatever." She sucked in a deep breath. "Aaron mentioned his unit had just lost two agents and they're looking for replacements. He asked me if you were willing to return to the Bureau, if you'd consider it." Emily met his gaze squarely. "It would be a home base. You'd be in DC and then this distance this travel... It puts you close to Jen too."

She slipped out of the car and was gone before he could say anything to her. He ran a hand over his head.

Emily spoke as if Jen was far from his mind. It couldn't be any further from the truth, and even if he refused to admit it, it had everything to do with his cranky disposition. Emily, in many ways, was right. He was getting tired of the constant travel, of the fans, the press, the publicity... He hadn't been to his cabin in almost four months. He wasn't even sure if his dog, Mudgie, remembered who he was at this point.

It was a tempting offer, returning to Washington, even if it was simply because he wanted stability for a change. That made Dave pause. Stability... stability was something he associated with Jen. He couldn't lie, it was part of the draw of a more stable life. Learning about her, knowing secrets like her broken engagement...

Making his home in DC would truly allow him to make things real between them, between him and Jen. He could put down roots, actually sleep in his bed, go hunting... Hell, he could live in the house he paid taxes on! He could go hunting with Mudgie. He could cook his own meals, create a permanent life.

And then maybe he could create a more permanent life with Jen.

* * *

**_This has one more chapter. Just the next one, then we're allll done!_**

**_Early thank you for those of you who stayed along for the extremely long ride, even those of you who lurk and don't review. The fact that you read this, especially since it's an AU, means a lot._**


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9_

Jen slid her sunglasses over her eyes as she stepped into the cool air of the late fall in Washington. It had been months since Dave's departure and though she'd returned to her regular routine, she still felt off. She really didn't like leaving things unsettled and though she had been the one to walk away, it hadn't felt like the closure she'd wanted. So, though she had, for all intents and purposes, ended the relationship, it didn't feel as closed as she expected.

She started off down the street her gait purposeful. It was eleven in the morning, the time every day she made the journey to her absolute favourite coffee boutique in Georgetown. It was her daily break from everything. She stuffed her hands into her pockets to ward off the chill. She loved Georgetown in the fall and it was relaxing.

"Jen."

Her steps faltered and she looked away from the gorgeous fall leaves. She hadn't been imagining his voice. In front of the coffee shop with two cups in his hands was none other than David Rossi.

"Dave."

He held one of the cups out to her. "The barista assures me it's your usual."

She took the cup delicately from him, bringing it to her mouth for a sip. Sure enough, it was her daily cup, done to her usual standards. "Thank you."

Dave's eyes were still fixed on her, watching her carefully. They stayed that way for a few moments before Jen let out a sigh.

"What are you doing here?"

He looked down at the cup he was holding then back up at her. He looked actually nervous. "Can we walk?"

"Sure," she agreed after a moment's deliberation.

They started off down the sidewalk, taking their time, wandering down the picturesque Georgetown street.

"I'm moving back to the DC area," he said after a few blocks.

Her step hitched. "To... You're... Why?"

"It's time," he replied with a shrug, reaching out to grasp her elbow to pull her out of the way of a woman gesturing widely on her cell phone.

"What does that mean?" Jen asked shaking her head in disbelief. She could feel the heat of his hand still cupping her elbow. God, she still wanted him. And the idea of him being in the area more often was thrilling and terrifying at the same time. If he was going to be around more often, did that mean that he was going to be around _her_ more often?

"We're both sick of the constant travel," he told her. "I have a home out in Little Creek I never see, a dog that probably doesn't remember who I am..." He shrugged. "It's time for me to stop the nomadic lifestyle."

She couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes. "You'll get restless," she told him.

Something akin to surprise flittered across his face. "Aaron's FBI unit is down two agents and he wants me to come back. There's still travel, just... not as much."

"That doesn't answer my question," she said when they'd fallen silent. "What does that mean?"

He tugged her off to a small park, guiding her to a nearly bench. He sat her down and slid onto the bench. "It means I'll be in DC more often than once a year. It means that things are going to be more settled and permanent."

Her heart rate picked up, but she was reluctant to let her heart believe anything. "That's good." She sipped her coffee.

"Probably," he agreed. "The FBI thing is all good to go. I start as soon as I say the word."

"So what are you waiting for?" she asked, fiddling with the top of her cup.

"Incentive to put it off a couple of days," he replied.

She shook her head. "You're talking in riddles, Dave," she said. She didn't appreciate the ups and downs her heart rate was doing. He'd just shown up out of the blue and upended her life. She'd assumed she'd never see him again and having Dave show up...

"We both knew that the minute we started learning about each other, we risked... we risked wanting stability, wanting... permanence. But we couldn't... It didn't matter. Now..."

Jen felt her breath catch, felt her hands start to shake.

"I'm done with superficial," he told her, taking one of her hands in his, leaning close. "I'm done with change. I want consistency, stability... I'm sick of different places, of different people, of different girls... I waited _seven_ months to get to Washington DC, Jen. To get to _you_. I missed you All I could think of once that trip was booked was seeing you."

"And you did," she murmured, unable to stop the blush that she knew stained her cheeks.

"And I did. And I was... happy."

Her heart jumped. Good Lord, he was _killing_ her.

He looked down at his hands. "I want to try something more permanent," he said quietly. "And since you're in Washington and I'll be working out of Quantico and living in the DC area... I'd like to try with you."

The air rushed out of Jen's lungs and her muscles cramped keeping her from breathing in. Eventually, there was a puff of air. And she started breathing again. "What?" she managed to choke out.

"You and me," he said, risking a step towards her. "A real relationship. Real dates, real fights, real making up... The whole thing."

Her eyes widened. That was a leap of faith she'd tried to convince herself he'd never take. His reputation had said he'd never do it, he'd never want anything more than no-strings. Yet here he was, telling her not only did he want strings, did he want something permanent, but he wanted it _with her_. "Dave..."

"Say yes, Jen," he said, his hand coming up to her cheek. He felt her breath catch in her throat. "Say this is what you want."

"What I want and what's good for me are two different things," she responded quietly.

"Don't," he pleaded. "Don't run. We are good for each other, you know that."

She looked down at her coffee cup. "But I don't know if..." She sighed. "Look, regardless of the changes you make, your past is still there. What happens when you find someone else? What happens when someone comes along?"

Dave was silent for a moment, his hand still on her cheek. Jen fortified herself for his admission that she was right. His thumb slid under her jaw, forcing her head up until she met his eyes. "I could promise you that I'm not going to do that. I could tell you that I would never be able to leave you, that you're it for me, but those are promises I can't make in good faith. Because every fear you have about me, I have about you too."

Jen's eyes narrowed. "I'm not sure I like the implication."

"I'm not saying you sleep around," he said with an amused chuckle, "but you're a beautiful woman, Cara. And you may get sick of me. You may hate being with me, you may hate my job, you may hate the unpredictability of when I'm going to leave... You may find someone better. There's no guarantees. But I know I like you, Jen and I care about you, a lot. I want you in my life. What happens in the future... I can't predict it and I'm not going to pretend that I can."

She searched his face carefully. He was sincere, honest, and as much as it scared her, it thrilled her at the same time. He never had lied to her, kept things with her very open. They were both aware how their relationship worked prior to the night when they broke all of their rules. And if she was seriously honest, there was a part of her that truly appreciated the fact that he wasn't trying to tell her that he was head over heels for her and, without fail, wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Adam had made her those promises and failed.

She couldn't lie and say it wasn't something she'd thought about. She'd probably thought about it more than she should have. It was what she wanted and she knew that.

"I can't make you any promises either," she whispered finally. "But I can promise you that I want to be with you."

One arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his body while his other hand stayed on her cheek while he kissed her. Jen squeaked, but fell quickly and easily into the familiar feel and taste of her Dave.

_Her Dave._

Now that was something she could get used to.

* * *

**_And there you have it!_**

**_After battling with this pain in my bum (this chapter, not the story!) I finally finished it to some sort of satisfaction and thus, have finished this story! Feels like a win to me. _**

**_Thanks to all who reviewed and to those who lurk, I hope you too enjoyed. _**


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